Dominic A. AquilaDr. Dominic A. Aquila was named Vice President for Academic Affairs on Mar. 18, 2009. He most recently served as Dean of Arts and Sciences from July, 2007 to the present. He brings to the University of St. Thomas 26 years of experience in public and private higher education. Among the institutions he has served are The Rochester Institute of Technology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Empire State College of the State University of New York, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ave Maria College and the University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne, Indiana). Dr. Aquila took his Bachelors Degree in Music from The Juilliard School, the MBA from New York University, and his Doctorate in History from the University of Rochester and the University of South Africa.

Before his career in higher education, Dr. Aquila performed as a percussionist with the New York City Opera, the American Ballet Theatre, the American Symphony Orchestra, the New York and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestras and a number of Broadway shows. He also managed the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Garth Fagan’s Dance Theatre. In June 2007 he received the Spes Nostra Award for service to Catholic Education from the National Association for Private and Independent Catholic Schools. Dr. Aquila and his wife, Diane, are parents of 11 children.